By Brittany Lavy

UX design is all about creating experiences that are easy to use and feel natural. One of the design practices commonly used  to improve how users interact with your site is by performing a UX Audit. Through this process, problem areas are identified  that make users feel frustrated, confused, or leave before they complete their journey. The ultimate goal of a UX audit is to fix issues and create a smoother, more enjoyable experience.

Why a usability audit matters 

A usability audit is the first step in spotting your users’ pain points, any bumps in their journey, and areas that could use some improvement on your site or digital product. Once we’ve done that, we can create a roadmap of areas to focus on and tweak to make sure your audience gets the best possible user experience.

Here are some ways UX audits can help improve your product: 

Usability problems throughout the product
If users get stuck, lost, or frustrated, they won’t stick around.  Definitely not what you want! This step helps ensure users reach their intended destination—both where they need to go and where you want them to go. 

We find usability problems by using well-known guidelines called  the 10 Heuristics. Developed by Jakob Nielsen, these general principles serve as a “rule of thumb” for how we can make UX easier and more effective. 

Streamlining a user’s journey
A website should guide users effortlessly to their goals. Some common user goals are making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or finding information. 

Simplifying the user’s journey and helping them achieve their goals boosts satisfaction, increases conversion rates, and strengthens brand perception.

Data-driven recommendations
When designing a site, we’re not always the ones using it, so we might make assumptions about the user’s experience. A usability audit helps us see how real users interact with your site or digital product, giving us a clear idea on how to make improvements.

Enhance accessibility
It’s important to make sure all users have an easy experience when interacting with your brand. Auditing the site or digital product can identify areas that may not be accessible for people with disabilities, like those with low vision or deafness, and adjust those areas to be compliant with general accessibility guidelines. Making sure your site meets accessibility guidelines means a better experience for all users.

Keeping costs low
Spotting UX issues in an audit can help save on development costs. By tackling problems early and designing with the user in mind, we can fix issues before diving into development or redesign. This not only saves time later on but also reduces the need for expensive changes further down the road.

User satisfaction and loyalty
Thanks to the UX audit, we can create a great user experience. When a product is simple to use, intuitive, and effective, users are more likely to enjoy interacting with it. This boosts satisfaction and helps build long-term loyalty with your users.

When should you do a usability audit? 

There are several moments when you should consider performing a usability audit. 

When redesigning a site or product
Starting with a UX audit on your current site or product helps spot areas for improvement and highlights what’s already working well. This gives us a solid starting point for wireframing and lets us fix usability issues early, so we can tackle them before development begins.

When you notice more help requests or a drop in conversion rates
A targeted audit can help pinpoint where users are getting stuck or abandoning the site. We can focus on specific pages or user journeys to see where things are going wrong.

When adding new features or pages
Before launching new features or pages, a usability audit helps us figure out how they’ll fit into the current experience. This way, we can address any issues that might affect user adoption before the feature or page goes live.

As part of regular maintenance
An annual or biannual audit keeps things running smoothly by identifying and fixing issues over time. It also sets up a routine for addressing usability challenges on an ongoing basis.

What level of audit makes sense for you?

Usability audits can vary in depth and scope depending on client goals, resources and timelines. There are four levels of a usability audit to choose from. 

1. A Quick Scan
   The goal of a quick scan audit is to identify usability issues with minimal time investment. A report of general findings and high-level recommendations will be created to address important issues quickly. This type of audit is ideal for quick deadlines and tight budgets.
   
2. A Standard Audit
   A standard level audit is used to uncover usability issues with detailed findings and recommendations. A standard audit can be used for product redesigns and regular ongoing maintenance. This is great for spotting user and industry trends that will improve your user experience.
   
3. A Comprehensive Audit
   A comprehensive audit is used to conduct a thorough analysis of the product when addressing major site redesigns, product pivots or addressing significant usability issues. This is perfect for companies looking for long-term investments and success into their products and user satisfaction.
   
4. A Specialized Audit
   A specialized audit is used to address specific concerns with the UX. This is used when certain areas need attention or compliance. Types of specialized audits include mobile usability audits, accessibility audits, a content audit and more. 

Where to start

Ready to elevate your user’s experience? At Digital Yalo we don’t just identify usability issues but we work to craft solutions. Whether you’re in need of a quick scan, a comprehensive deep dive, or a specialized approach, our team has the expertise to guide you along the way. 

Contact us today and let’s work together to create meaningful experiences for your users.

Ah, Crocs. Once upon a time, they were the foot-things we loved to hate. First marketed as boat shoes back in 2002, they were quickly banished to the realms of “ugliest footwear ever.” Yet here we are, decades later, watching Crocs not just survive but thrive. What on earth happened, and more importantly, what lessons should brands take from Crocs? 

Let’s dive in.

From Utility to Individuality: A Lesson in Amping It Up

When Crocs first launched, they were known for their functionality. Designed for comfort and durability, they were utilitarian to a fault—practical but lacking personality. They were, essentially, the sensible shoe your middle school teacher wore to do yard work. But in 2017, under new leadership, Crocs made a radical shift. Instead of focusing on what their shoes did, Crocs began to focus on what they could mean: a symbol of joy, self-expression, and yes, even style.

The pivot required them to go beyond what was merely expected or necessary, leaning into unexpected and over-the-top moves to demand attention. The brand started to pump out partnerships with everyone from Post Malone and Justin Bieber to fast-food icons like KFC. (Yes, they made fried chicken Crocs—complete with a drumstick Jibbitz™ charm). These collaborations were fun, unexpected, and just the right amount of outrageous, amplifying Crocs from “comfort wear” to a bold, if still questionable fashion statement.

This is a textbook example of what we at Digital Yalo like to call “Amping It Up to 11.” Crocs didn’t stop at merely shaking their old, practical reputation; they cranked up the individuality and let loose with wild collaborations and off-beat charm accessories. And frankly, anything less would likely have been insufficient.

A Visionary Journey: Embracing the Tour

To be clear, this resurgence didn’t happen overnight, and it certainly wasn’t a straight shot. By 2008, Crocs was practically on life support, hemorrhaging $185 million and cutting thousands of jobs. The stock had plunged, the business was in shambles, and it would’ve been easy to simply refocus on what was safe and comfortable. But rather than retreat, Crocs doubled down on a long-term strategy rooted in self-expression and individuality. 

They knew where they wanted to go—they just had to be patient enough to make the journey.

This is what we at Digital Yalo like to call “Embrace the Tour.” Crocs had a vision of where they wanted to be, and they weren’t deterred by short-term losses or missteps. They didn’t panic when the seas got rough; instead, they leaned into the tour, adapting their strategy and committing to a path that was uniquely their own. Today, they’re forecasted to hit $5 billion in sales by 2026. That’s what happens when you stay true to your destination and weather the obstacles along the way.

Inclusion and Authenticity: A Genre for Everyone

One of the key ingredients in Crocs’ recipe for success is their unapologetic embrace of individuality—something we value here at Digital Yalo as “We Are All Genres.” 

By positioning themselves as a blank canvas for self-expression, Crocs tapped into a universal truth: people want to feel included and authentic, no matter how quirky or niche their tastes. Crocs let people be a little bit extra (or a lot extra) and celebrate it, whether it’s with a mini ranch bottle charm or a platform heel so chunky it doubles as an ankle workout. In the world of Crocs, there’s a shoe for everyone, and everyone is welcome.

The takeaway? Crocs didn’t merely follow a trend—they made one. By going big on the unexpected and embracing the long haul, they’ve turned a former fashion faux pas into a cult favorite. It’s a reminder that true brand success isn’t just about filling a need. It’s about connecting with people in ways that matter to them, leaning into bold ideas, and staying committed to a vision.

So, next time you’re looking to Amp it Up or Embrace the Tour, take a page from Crocs’ playbook: make it memorable, make it bold, and never shy away from a little fun along the way.

Is content strategy a part of your marketing plan? If not, it should be! Despite nearly every brand using content marketing, only 40% of B2B marketers have a documented content marketing strategy. 

Content strategy is the foundation of effective marketing. It’s not just about creating content—it’s about planning, managing, and evaluating every piece to ensure it aligns with business goals and serves your unique audience’s needs. A good strategy ensures that your content works cohesively across platforms, speaks directly to your audience, and delivers measurable results.

Here’s why it matters: without a strategy, content is often reactive, inconsistent, and unfocused. With a strategy, it becomes a powerful tool to engage audiences, build trust, and drive meaningful outcomes.

The Value of Content Strategy

Investing in content strategy delivers real, measurable benefits:

• Consistency: A unified voice and message across all platforms.
• Efficiency: A clear roadmap that streamlines content creation.
• Engagement: Content that meets user needs and builds trust.
• Results: Better alignment with business goals and measurable ROI.

How We Build and Execute a Content Strategy

So – what is a content strategy? It’s a comprehensive plan that begins long before creating any actual content. While every strategy is tailored to fit a brand’s unique goals and needs, there are common steps that most content strategies include. Here’s how we do it: 

1. Define Goals and Understand the Audience

Every content strategy starts with clarity. What are your business objectives? Are you looking to drive brand awareness, generate leads, or increase conversions? From there, we turn to audience research. Through data and insights, we build detailed personas that outline your audience’s needs, preferences, and behaviors. These personas guide the tone, style, and format of every piece of content created for your brand.

2. Conduct a Content Audit

Next, we take stock of your existing content. A content audit evaluates what connects with your audience based on best practices and persona research, and where gaps exist. This step ensures we’re building on a strong foundation while avoiding duplication or inefficiency.

3. Analyze Competitors

Understanding the competitive landscape is key to standing out. By analyzing what your competitors are doing well (and not so well), we identify opportunities to differentiate your brand and deliver more value to your audience.

4. Develop an Information Architecture (IA)

Content is only as good as its accessibility. We organize your content into a logical structure that ensures users can find what they need quickly and easily. A well-planned IA also supports SEO, helping your content rank higher in search results.

5. Create a Content Strategy and Calendar

With a clear understanding of your goals, audience, and existing assets, we develop a comprehensive strategy. This includes:

• Content Themes and Pillars: Recurring topics or ideas that guide creation and ensure consistency.
• Funnel-Specific Content: Tailored pieces for every stage of the sales journey—from awareness to decision.
• Formats and Channels: Choosing the right mix of blogs, videos, social posts, and more.
• Content Calendar: A detailed schedule outlining what will be created, when it will be published, and where it will appear.

This plan ensures every piece of content serves a purpose and contributes to the overall goals of your brand.

6. Collaborate and Execute

Content strategy doesn’t happen in isolation. In collaboration with our UX, marketing, SEO, and design teams, we deliver cohesive and impactful content. This collaboration ensures consistency across all touchpoints, from messaging to visuals.

7. Evaluate and Optimize

Once the content is live, the work isn’t over. We analyze performance metrics, gather user feedback, and refine the strategy to ensure ongoing success. Regular evaluation helps us stay aligned with your goals and adapt to changing audience needs.

Content strategy isn’t just a part of marketing—it’s the backbone. With a thoughtful, well-executed approach, you can elevate your brand, connect with your audience, and achieve long-term success. Ready to implement a content strategy for your brand? We’re here to help.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the importance of data cannot be overstated. Every decision, every strategy, and every move a company makes can be enhanced and optimized through the power of analytics. It’s no longer enough to rely on gut instinct or past experiences; businesses that thrive in the digital age harness the potential of data analytics to gain invaluable insights and drive success. Let’s explore the myriad of benefits of utilizing analytics for business growth and how it can be a game-changer for companies.

Empowering Informed Decision-Making

In the dynamic realm of marketing, decisions made in the dark can lead to missed opportunities and wasted resources. Marketing analytics shines a light on the path forward, enabling businesses to make informed decisions backed by solid data. From identifying the most lucrative customer segments to optimizing advertising spend, every move is strategically guided by insights gleaned from analytics.

Precision Targeting and Personalization

Gone are the days of generic, one-size-fits-all marketing campaigns. Today’s consumers crave personalized experiences tailored to their preferences and needs. Marketing analytics equips businesses with the tools to deliver just that. By segmenting audiences based on demographics, behavior, and psychographics, marketers can craft hyper-targeted campaigns that resonate with individual consumers on a deeper level.

Maximizing ROI and Efficiency

In the world of business, every dollar spent must yield a return. Marketing analytics serves as a compass, guiding investments towards the most lucrative channels and strategies. By tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, and lifetime value, businesses can optimize their marketing efforts for maximum ROI. Furthermore, analytics highlights areas of inefficiency, allowing organizations to streamline processes and allocate resources more effectively.

Staying Ahead of the Competition

In today’s hyper-competitive landscape, staying ahead of the curve is imperative for business survival. Marketing analytics provides the competitive edge needed to outmaneuver rivals and capture market share. By monitoring competitor activities, analyzing industry trends, and identifying emerging opportunities, businesses can proactively adapt their strategies to maintain a competitive advantage.

Driving Continuous Improvement

The journey towards success is a never-ending pursuit of improvement and innovation. Marketing analytics serves as a compass, guiding investments towards the most lucrative channels and strategies. By tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, and lifetime value, businesses can optimize their marketing efforts for maximum ROI. Furthermore, analytics highlights areas of inefficiency, allowing organizations to streamline processes and allocate resources more effectively.

Embracing the Future of Marketing

As technology continues to evolve and consumer expectations evolve, the role of marketing analytics will only become more pivotal. By harnessing the power of data-driven insights, businesses can unlock a world of possibilities and propel themselves towards unparalleled success. From precision targeting to continuous improvement, marketing analytics is the cornerstone of modern marketing strategy, empowering businesses to thrive in an ever-changing landscape.

Analytics is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a strategic imperative for businesses looking to thrive in today’s data-driven world. By harnessing the power of analytics, businesses can make smarter decisions, improve efficiency, enhance customer experiences, gain a competitive advantage, mitigate risks, and drive revenue growth. In a world where data is king, analytics is the key to unlocking untapped potential and charting a course towards business success. Let Yalo help you create the right metrics to propel your business to the next level.

In the dynamic and competitive landscape of the business world, the importance of a well-crafted brand strategy cannot be overstated. A brand is not just a logo or a product; it’s an experience, a promise, and a reflection of your company’s values. Today, we’ll delve into the intricacies of brand strategy, exploring the key elements that contribute to a successful and compelling brand.

1. Understanding Your Audience: A successful brand strategy begins with a deep understanding of your target audience. Who are they? What are their needs, desires, and pain points? By empathizing with your audience, you can tailor your brand message to resonate with them on a personal level. Whether it’s through market research, surveys, or social listening, the more you know about your audience, the better you can connect with them.

2. Defining Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP): What sets your brand apart from the competition? Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) is the answer to this crucial question. Clearly articulate what makes your brand special and why customers should choose you over others. Whether it’s innovative technology, exceptional customer service, or a commitment to sustainability, a strong UVP forms the foundation of your brand strategy.

3. Consistent Branding Across Channels: Consistency is key when it comes to brand strategy. From your logo and color palette to your tone of voice and messaging, ensure that your brand is consistent across all channels. This includes your website, social media, email campaigns, and even offline materials. Consistency builds trust and reinforces brand recognition, making it easier for customers to connect with and remember your brand.

4. Storytelling that Resonates: Humans are wired for storytelling, and your brand should have a compelling narrative. Share the story behind your brand – the challenges, triumphs, and values that define you. A well-crafted brand story creates an emotional connection with your audience, turning customers into loyal advocates. Use storytelling to humanize your brand and make it relatable.

5. Adaptability in the Digital Age: In today’s digital age, a robust online presence is non-negotiable. Your brand strategy should include a digital roadmap, encompassing social media, content marketing, and a user-friendly website. Embrace emerging technologies and stay agile in adapting to new trends. The ability to evolve with the times ensures that your brand remains relevant and engaging.

6. Building Brand Trust: Trust is the currency of successful brands. Transparency, authenticity, and delivering on promises are crucial for building and maintaining trust. Be open about your business practices, engage with customer feedback, and address concerns promptly. Trust not only fosters customer loyalty but also enhances your brand’s reputation in the marketplace.

In the ever-evolving business landscape, a well-crafted brand strategy is the compass that guides your journey to success. By understanding your audience, defining your unique value proposition, maintaining consistency, weaving a compelling narrative, embracing digital channels, and building trust, you can create a brand that not only stands out but stands the test of time. Let Yalo lead the effort into crafting a brand strategy that resonates – your brand’s future success depends on it.

In the dynamic landscape of business, where competition is fierce and consumer preferences are ever-evolving, companies need more than just products or services to thrive-they need a strategic roadmap that guides them to success. Enter the unsung hero of business strategy: Account Planning. This powerful discipline is the linchpin that connects businesses with their customers, fostering long-term relationships and driving sustainable growth. 

The Essence of Account Planning:

Account planning is not merely a set of tasks; it’s a holistic approach to understanding, engaging, and delighting customers. At its core, account planning involves the meticulous process of analyzing data, identifying opportunities, and creating tailored strategies to align a company’s offerings with the unique needs and desires of its target audience.

Key Pillars of Account Planning:

1. Deep Customer Understanding:
   Account planning starts with a profound exploration of the customer landscape. Who are your customers? What are their pain points, aspirations, and preferences? By delving into these questions, businesses can create a nuanced profile of their target audience, enabling them to tailor their offerings in a way that resonates with their customers on a deeper level.
2. Data-Driven Insights:
   In the age of big data, information is power. Account planning leverages data analytics to extract meaningful insights that inform strategic decisions. By understanding customer behavior, market trends, and competitive landscapes, businesses can make informed choices that set them apart from the competition.
3. Strategic Alignment:
   Account planning ensures that every facet of a company’s operations is aligned with a unified strategy. From marketing and sales to product development and customer service, all departments work cohesively towards common goals. This alignment not only enhances efficiency but also creates a seamless and compelling customer experience.
4. Long-Term Relationship Building:
   Beyond short-term gains, account planning focuses on cultivating enduring relationships. By continuously engaging with customers, understanding their evolving needs, and adapting strategies accordingly, businesses can transform one-time buyers into loyal advocates, creating a sustainable customer base.
5. Adaptability and Innovation:
   The business landscape is dynamic, and what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. Account planning encourages a culture of adaptability and innovation, urging companies to stay ahead of the curve. By continuously reassessing strategies in response to changing market conditions, businesses can position themselves as industry leaders.

The Bottom Line:

In an era where customers demand more than just products-they demand experiences-account planning emerges as a strategic imperative. It’s not a luxury reserved for Fortune 500 companies; it’s a necessity for any business aspiring to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.

As we navigate an increasingly complex business environment, 2024 account planning acts as a guiding light, illuminating the path to customer-centric success. It’s not just about selling; it’s about creating value, forging connections, and building a legacy. 

When it comes to marketing campaigns, it’s important to remember that pets are people too. They can have a big impact on the sales of your products, so you need to be sure you’re using the right tactics for them. Here are five great marketing campaigns that will inspire you and help get you through the dog days of summer.

1. If you’ve ever watched a dog move and thought to yourself, “This is a dancer,” or if you’ve seen a video of someone’s dog playing fetch and thought, “I wish I could do that,” then you’re already familiar with the brilliance of BarkBox’s BarkWorthy Awards.
   
   The monthly subscription service for dogs celebrates dogs who have done something amazing—like become best friends with another animal or learn how to open doors—or been featured on the company’s Instagram account. This summer you can get a FREE Funboy puncture-proof Pool Float! Plus, get the Pool Party themed box!

2. Target’s dog days Instagram takeover was a fun way to engage with customers. The retailer held an Instagram contest, asking customers to share their photos of their dogs while they shopped at Target, or while they were away from home. Customers could use the hashtag “#dogdays” and tag @TargetStyle on their pictures.
   
   In addition to these awesome items, Target also shared photos of their employees’ dogs enjoying life outside during summertime (and inside during wintertime). Their Instagram feed included images showing how people can bring their pups into various areas of life—from vacations at the beach to trips through Europe.

 

3. Subaru Loves Pets – Continuing its tradition of creating popular pet-focused ads, Subaru of America has launched all-new ‘Dog Tested. Dog Approved’ advertising spots. The four spots showcase the Barkleys, a family of Labrador and Golden Retrievers, who recently helped to launch the all-new Subaru Ascent. In the newest ‘Dog Tested. Dog Approved’ spots, the Barkleys will take on everything from driving lessons, to the first day of school and even a doggy-run car wash.
   
   Subaru has many other ads like this one that use pet owners as main characters in their commercials, which helps them connect with animal lovers on a personal level. By taking advantage of these messages and incorporating them into their marketing strategies, other companies could increase sales by appealing directly to consumers who have pets—and most of us do!

4. As part of a wonderfully clever campaign aimed at finding new homes for shelter animals, IKEA has devised a way to convince shoppers that welcoming a needy dog or cat into their lives just might be the best way to tie a room together.
   
   In partnership with pet rescue charity Home For Hope, the furniture retailer has begun placing life-sized cardboard cutouts of real dogs and cats that are available for adoption alongside their in-store displays.
   
   Each cutout features a barcode with which they can access information about how to make that specific animal their pet. Best of all, there’s no assembly required.

5. Weiner Stampede By Heinz Ketchup – hard to think of anything more delightful than hundreds of sausage dogs dressed in hot dog costumes running in slow motion. This commercial certainly delivers! Accompanied by Harry Nilsson’s song ‘Without You,’ we see the joyous stampede of pooches bound toward and jump into the arms of their saucy companions. This commercial captures a beautiful emotional reunion and also showcases a great serving suggestion!

Because pets are such an integral part of many people’s lives and because they have such powerful emotions attached to them, it’s easy for your audience to connect with your efforts. You can offer rewards for good behavior, create a sense of community around your brand by showcasing how many other pet owners are using your products or services, and even use animals as a source of humor in videos or images that go viral – all while strengthening customer loyalty along the way.

And if you’re looking for inspiration of your own, we can help with that too! Yalo is an award-winning marketing, branding, and website & app development company with big heart and big soul. Just reach out to us. We’re always happy to chat with fellow animal lovers about their branding and marketing plans.

Summer is here, and it’s the perfect time to kick back, relax, and catch up on some reading. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned business professional, or simply someone interested in learning more about the world of commerce, there are plenty of captivating business books to dive into this summer. Here are a few of our favorites:

“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries:

If you’re an entrepreneur or planning to start your own business, “The Lean Startup” is a must-read. Eric Ries introduces the concept of validated learning and provides a framework for building successful companies in an uncertain environment. Learn how to iterate quickly, test assumptions, and create a sustainable business model based on customer feedback.

“Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World” by David Epstein:

In a world that often values specialization, “Range” challenges conventional wisdom by advocating for the power of broad thinking. David Epstein explores the benefits of diverse experiences and skill sets and how they can lead to breakthroughs and innovation. Discover the advantages of being a generalist in a rapidly changing business landscape and embrace the potential of interdisciplinary knowledge.

“The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek:

Simon Sinek’s “The Infinite Game” encourages a long-term perspective in business, emphasizing the importance of purpose and sustainability. By contrasting finite and infinite games, Sinek explores strategies for building resilient organizations that can adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving market. Gain insights on leadership, organizational culture, and the power of a compelling vision to inspire and motivate teams.

“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman:

Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman takes readers on a fascinating journey through the mind, exploring the two systems that drive our decision-making processes. “Thinking, Fast and Slow” helps you understand the cognitive biases and heuristics that influence our choices, both as individuals and in business. This book will sharpen your critical thinking skills and help you make more informed and rational decisions.

“Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss:

Effective negotiation skills are essential in the world of business. In “Never Split the Difference,” former FBI negotiator Chris Voss shares his experiences and techniques for successful negotiations. Drawing from real-life scenarios, Voss provides practical tips on building rapport, active listening, and finding mutually beneficial solutions. Master the art of negotiation and enhance your communication skills.

“Blitzscaling: The Lightning-Fast Path to Building Massively Valuable Companies” by Reid Hoffman &   Chris Yeh:

For those interested in the world of startups and rapid growth, “Blitzscaling” offers valuable insights. Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, and Chris Yeh present a roadmap for scaling companies at breakneck speed. Learn about the strategies, risks, and cultural shifts required to build and sustain hyper-growth organizations. This book is a treasure trove of knowledge for entrepreneurs and business leaders aiming for exponential success.

Make the most of your summer by immersing yourself in these thought-provoking business books. From entrepreneurial principles to negotiation tactics and innovative thinking, each recommendation offers unique perspectives to help you thrive in today’s dynamic business landscape. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, an established professional, or simply someone looking to expand your business acumen, these books will equip you with the knowledge and inspiration you need to succeed!

While you’re here and reading our suggestions for great content to enjoy this summer, you should consider Yalo’s own content marketing services for building better brands. From customer communications and social campaigns with honed messaging to thought leadership strategy that helps position your brand as an A-list player, our strategic content creation deliverables make your business an informed and productive voice in the marketplace of ideas.

If you’ve spent any time at Yalo, you’ll know that diversity is more than just one of our buzzwords—it’s a commitment to how we hire and how we work. That’s why we’re proud to announce that we’ve earned a Certification of Minority-Owned Business from the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s Georgia Division.

As an Atlanta-based marketing agency, Yalo is 100% minority-owned, with 45% female and 22% minority employees, including African American, Asian, Latino and LGBTQ.

As Georgia’s leading advocacy organization for small business development and supplier diversity, the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC) certifies Minority Business Enterprise firms, assists them in preparing to engage global supply chains, and supports partnerships with corporations and governments in need of their goods and services.  

We firmly believe that diversity fosters creativity, innovation, and better problem-solving, and are dedicated to maintaining a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. This certification will allow us to help corporations with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives to meet their supplier goals and metrics. We’re excited about these new opportunities to expand delivery of our award-winning marketing and advertising capabilities to a broader and more diverse client base.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council and their efforts to support minority-owned businesses, check out their website at nmsdc.org.

If you’re interested in learning more about Yalo, you can meet our wildly creative (and diverse) team of writers, strategists, designers, developers, tech gurus, managers and leaders on our Tribe page right here. For more about us or to engage with Yalo for a project to enhance your business brand, please scroll down below to access the Contact button.

In today’s fast paced world, everyone wants everything now. Same can be said in marketing. There is enormous pressure on marketing to do something quickly because the company needs results. Unfortunately, if you have not taken the right approach to developing your marketing strategy and subsequent plan, these quick actions often lead to lackluster results. Lead gen, brand awareness campaigns, and others tactics are usually staples of a marketing strategy. But can you answer some fundamental questions regarding why these items showed up on your marketing strategy and plan in the first place? What tactics should I be executing? How should I execute them? Where do they live? You need fundamental inputs to develop the marketing strategy that is right for your company. Otherwise, what happens is a lot of good people, work really hard and do not achieve the intended results.

What are the Fundamental Inputs? Know your Brand. Know your Customer. Know your Strengths. Finally – know what Success looks like. Knowing your brand sounds simple enough. Try this quick test. Stick your head outside your office, or Slack a handful of your colleagues and ask them if know your company’s Mission & Vision. Even if they do, how well can they interpret it? One more quiz. Would you classify your brand as a Hero, Outlaw or something else? Knowing how to describe your brand, its characteristics and tone of voice are critical inputs into answering the “how to execute” questions in your overall marketing strategy, as well as what is on the marketing plan in the first place. 

Like Mars Blackmon says “Do you know, do you know, do you know?”…

Know your customer. Again sounds simple enough. Go ask sales what the customer needs (probably not the only thing you should do). While sales can offer great insight like what challenges they experience and why they believe the company wins; the best bet to know your customer is to talk to them directly. Existing customers, past customers, potential customers should all be in the mix. Any method to collect consumer data should be deployed as well – surveys, focus groups, direct interviews. Invaluable insights like buying factors, sources used for research, why they chose you or someone else will greatly influence the what, how and where of your marketing strategy. By the way, would strongly suggest this becomes a periodic exercise as well as event driven like if a new product or service offering is being explored.

Know your strengths. Is it world-class customer service, world-class supply chain, or a truly unique product? Confirming these strengths, making sure they are different and unique from the competition will inform literally every piece of content and style that appears as tactics in your marketing strategy. You can also validate these strengths against the customer insight exercises that you have gathered. Sometimes what you think is unique and different is not really why the customer is choosing you.

Finally, know what success looks like. What are the goals and objectives of your marketing strategy? This should not be an exhaustive list of marketing metrics that you can track across your website, CRM or e-commerce platform. Rather it should be 3-5 KPI’s that marketing can own. You should also pressure test these KPI’s against the overall company’s strategy and objectives. The Marketing Objectives must align to the overall Business Objectives – otherwise the race is over before you have even begun.

Getting these marketing strategy fundamental inputs nailed is the difference between having a marketing strategy and not having one at all. Without them there is no marketing strategy even if your marketing plan is stuffed with elaborate media, social, and or lead-gen campaigns. This will result in a ton of effort and money being spent without the desired outcomes and results. Chances are, you won’t get the opportunity to spend that money again.

*Check out how Yalo helped Cortland confirm their brand via brand campaign strategy.
*Northside Tool Rental knows their customers – our creative design team used photography & design to help reach them right where they live.
*Illumagear play to their strengths, and our marketing communications and brand strategy captured those strengths beautifully.

Like what you’re reading and seeing? Reach out to Yalo and let’s have a conversation about your marketing fundamentals. Our marketing and branding consultants will help you to dig deep to develop a powerful brand voice and identity to stand-out in the 21st century marketplace.

Ready for more comprehensive messaging and marketing support? The best creative and marketing efforts begin with Yalo’s popular and innovative Brand Strategy Bootcamp.

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At one point or another you’ve probably asked yourself: “How can I improve my marketing skills?” Maybe not in those exact words (that’s kinda weird), but you’ve definitely wondered if you could be working harder or smarter to build your brand.

The answer is yes, of course. Everyone could. And a good way to start is by learning which marketing strategies to avoid. Sounds complicated? Just bear with us.

There’s a reason Socrates, Plato, and Descartes aren’t well known for their social posts, email campaigns, and out-of-home work. (Besides the fact that they lived roughly a million years before electricity.) It’s because content isn’t a philosophy; it’s a tactic. Too often, when coming up with marketing strategies, these two things get confused.

While there are many viable tactics that play an important role in growing a brand, what’s really important are the philosophies behind the tactics. Here, we’re going to discuss some marketing mistakes to avoid that miss the big picture and put your brand or business in a hole from the start.

#1 The “Silver Bullet” Marketing Strategy

Unless you are marketing to an extremely specific, possibly magical market segment, the consumer is not a werewolf. One strategy (or silver bullet) is not going to take care of your entire problem. How many times have you seen a brand make one Instagram post a week and leave it at that? If you want to have meaningful engagement with the consumer, you need to create a constant dialogue to grow the relationship over time. Repeated interaction with a brand builds the interest and, more importantly, the trust that is required to maintain those relationships. Branch out and engage your target audience in multiple ways and continue to do so consistently over a long period of time. It won’t kill a werewolf (probably?), but it will help your business.

#2 The “If We Build It, They Will Come” Marketing Strategy

An outdated marketing technique that we see all the time is the idea that you just need a cool website, and the money will start rolling in. Building a website is just the tip of strategy iceberg. This points back to strategy #1—there is no silver bullet, not even parallax scroll. Unless you are constantly going out of your way to engage the consumer, they’re not going to just show up in person or virtually and give you their money. The ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson might be powerless to avoid what you’ve built, but everyone else is going to need a little bit more from your brand. That’s a “Field of Dreams” reference, for those of you under the age of 45.

#3 The “Going with Your Gut” Marketing Strategy

Speaking of outdated references, there’s a reason the phrase “OK Boomer” became part of the pop culture lexicon. It’s not so much about that specific generation as it is about thinking that your experience is universal—that it transcends geography and generations. Consumers are all different. They’re different from each other and different from you. Even if a 55-year-old man has been working in the same business for 25 years, that doesn’t mean he knows the best way to reach his 28-year-old female audience. There are numerous ways you can survey consumers to figure out what they want and develop a strategy that addresses those specific needs and desires. So don’t just go with your gut—do the research. OK Boomer?

#4 The “Strategy-less” Marketing Strategy

“Do you make viral videos? Let’s do that.”

A viral video or any singular piece of content is a “what.” Before a brand has a “what,” it needs a “why.” It’s essential to develop a strategy as the foundation for your content. Before you can make something meaningful, you have to figure out why you’re making it in the first place. What purpose will it serve? How does it fit with the other moving parts of the brand? Foregoing strategy to just “make stuff” is like shouting into the wind. So put a purposeful strategy in place, and you won’t just be making stuff; you’ll be building something.

#5 The “All We Need Is an Intern” Marketing Strategy

Imagine the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs letting his nephew start at quarterback because he’s really, really good at playing Madden on his PS5. Sounds ridiculous, but similar things happen all the time in the marketing and advertising industry. Just because your sister’s boyfriend took a Photoshop class last semester does not mean he should be handling crucial aspects of your business. Professionals—people who’ve studied advertising and marketing and put it into practice for multiple industries—have more than just the basic tools and programs to make a piece of content. They also have the experience and understanding to give meaning to the work. It’s worth investing in people who know what they’re doing when it comes to your business needs.

#6 The “We Don’t Have a Budget” Marketing Strategy

If you and your agency have a clear picture of your budget from the start, then you can work within that framework to create a strategy that maximizes resources and ensures all your ideas remain viable options. While it may seem freeing to have no budget, it can be a huge waste of time and resources to come up with 100 different variations of an idea only to have 99 of them dismissed because you can’t afford them. Think of it like building a sandcastle: it’s far easier to focus on getting it right if you’re working in a sandbox as opposed to running all over a huge beach. Your agency needs the sandbox.

#7 The “Hire a Pro, Treat ‘Em Like a Rookie” Marketing Strategy

There’s an old idiom that says, “why keep a dog and bark yourself?” And while we’re not sure why any human would bark (idioms can be weird), there’s a lot of truth in that statement when it comes to hiring marketing teams. When you pay an experienced marketing team to do what they do best, it’s a huge waste of time and effort to not delegate the work to them. Allowing the team you hired to do their jobs is an incredibly important strategy, yet work is so often undercut with “thanks, but let’s do my idea instead.” In other words: let the people you pay to do a job actually do their job. In other, other words: let the dog bark.

#8 The “Keep Your Cards Close to Your Vest” Marketing Strategy

Welcome to the loop. Sales doesn’t know what Marketing is doing. Marketing doesn’t know what Operations is doing. Operations doesn’t know what Sales is doing. Ad infinitum. If you aren’t sharing business goals and objectives with all the departments involved with those goals and objectives, you don’t get a well-oiled machine—you get a Rube Goldberg device that leads nowhere. It’s crucial to make sure everyone can see the bigger picture; that way, each part can work toward a cohesive whole, and you’ll have a strategy to avoid a communication breakdown.

#9 The “We’re Just Like Apple” Marketing Strategy

Does your business or brand spend millions of dollars a year on creative? How about hundreds of millions on marketing as a whole? Do you have a passionate, sometimes obsessive fan base that will probably support your brand no matter what? If you said yes to this, then congratulations, you are Apple. Otherwise, you’re going to have to approach things another way. Without investment in resources, you can’t get the quality, consistency, and loyalty you desire. Let’s be honest, even with all that, you still can’t be Apple. But you can take a page out of their book—when it comes to your brand’s strategy, “Think Different.”

More likely than not, you’ve already experienced a few of these “strategies.” Don’t worry, we’ve all been there at some point. But with the right agency, budget, and team behind your brand helping you build a strategy that’s right for you, success will come. Good luck out there.

Oh and by the way, Yalo has been helping companies excel and stand-out in the marketplace for a long time now. We’ve even won awards. You can consider us for your needs too. Reach us at the bottom of this page to start a conversation.

As a new year begins, marketers are predicting which marketing trends will matter the most and placing their bets (and budgets) on those they believe will show the most return on investment. Here below are five tactical trends that we see adding value to the market(ing) place in 2023.

1. A Greater Emphasis On Building A Strong Brand

A strong brand can build customer loyalty, increase customer lifetime value, drive business growth, and increase the perceived value of your products or services, which can lead to higher prices and more profitability.

A few benefits of building a strong brand:

1. A strong brand helps to establish a company’s identity and sets it apart from competitors.
2. A well-known brand helps to build trust with customers, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.
3. A powerful brand can lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction, as customers are more likely to have positive experiences with a well-known and trusted brand.
4. In today’s digital age, a strong brand is also important for online visibility and search engine optimization (SEO). A well-known brand is more likely to show up at the top of search engine results, which can lead to increased traffic and sales.

Full disclosure: Yalo offers our Brand Strategy Bootcamp to help fledgling as well as established brands to dip their toes in the world of brand strategy for greater awareness in the public sector. It’s a fun, informative, effective exercise our clients love to experience!

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2. The Burgeoning Creator Economy

Creators are the beating heart of social media, and their endorsements can shape consumer behavior drastically. The creator economy refers to the network of people who create and share content online, often for a large and engaged audience. Brands can tap into the creator economy in a number of ways:

1. Collaboration: Brands can work with creators to produce sponsored content or to promote their products. This can be a win-win for both parties, as creators get paid for their work and brands get exposure to the creator’s audience.
2. Sponsorship: Brands can sponsor events or projects featuring creators, or they can sponsor a creator’s content directly. This can help the brand reach the creator’s audience and establish a relationship with the creator.
3. Affiliate marketing: Brands can work with creators to promote their products through affiliate links. When a creator’s audience makes a purchase using the link, the creator earns a commission.
4. Product development: Brands can work with creators to develop products based on their content or ideas. This can be a great way to tap into the creator’s audience and get valuable feedback on product development.
5. User-generated content: Brands can encourage their customers to create content featuring their products and share it online. This can help to increase brand awareness and engagement.

Overall, the key to success in the creator economy is to build authentic and mutually beneficial relationships with creators. This can help brands to reach new audiences and stay relevant in an increasingly digital world.

3. The Implementation Of Automation And AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are being increasingly used in marketing to help companies save time and resources, as well as to improve their marketing efforts. Some common applications of AI in marketing include:

1. Customer segmentation: AI can help companies segment their customers based on various characteristics, such as demographics, behaviors, and interests. This allows companies to tailor their marketing efforts to specific groups of customers.
2. Personalization: AI can be used to personalize marketing messages, content, and recommendations based on a customer’s past interactions with a company. This can help increase the relevance and effectiveness of marketing efforts.
3. Predictive analysis: AI can be used to analyze customer data and make predictions about their future behavior. This can help companies plan and execute more effective marketing campaigns.
4. Chatbots: AI-powered chatbots can be used to interact with customers in real-time, answering questions and providing assistance. This can help companies scale their customer service efforts and improve the customer experience.
5. Content creation: AI can be used to generate marketing content, such as social media posts and email subject lines. This can help companies save time and resources on content creation.

Another disclosure! Yalo has been offering Sentiment Analysis services powered by AI for some time now for business intelligence for our clients.

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4. The Cost-Efficiency Of User-Generated Social Media Videos

TikTok and user-generated social media videos that organically draw in an audience or create word-of-mouth are the best bang for your buck. There are several benefits of user-generated social media videos:

1. Authenticity: User-generated content is typically more authentic and genuine than content created by brands. This can help increase trust and credibility with your audience.
2. Cost-effective: User-generated content is often free or low-cost to produce, as it is created by individuals rather than professional marketers.
3. Increased reach: User-generated content has the potential to go viral, which can significantly increase the reach of your brand.
4. Customer engagement: User-generated content can help increase customer engagement by giving them a way to participate in your brand and share their experiences with others.
5. User-generated content can also provide valuable insights and ideas for your marketing campaigns.

5. The Rise Of Web3 And Virtual Influencer Marketing

Brands can leverage web3 technology and virtual influencers in a number of ways. Here are a few potential strategies:

1. Partnering with virtual influencers: Brands can partner with virtual influencers by sponsoring their content, creating sponsored posts together, or collaborating on projects. This can help brands reach new audiences and tap into the influence of virtual influencers.
2. Creating their own virtual influencers: Some brands have created their own virtual influencers to promote their products or services. These virtual influencers can be used to reach specific demographics or to promote products in a more immersive way.
3. Utilizing non-fungible tokens (NFTs): Brands can use non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to create unique, collectible experiences for their customers. This could include exclusive virtual events with virtual influencers, or limited-edition digital goods that are only available through the use of NFTs.
4. Experimenting with new web3 platforms: There are many new web3 platforms emerging that allow for immersive and interactive experiences. Brands can experiment with these platforms to find new ways to engage with their audience and promote their products.

Overall, virtual influencers and web3 technology offer brands new and innovative ways to reach and engage with their audience. By staying up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies, brands can find creative ways to leverage these tools to their advantage.

Let Yalo keep you on-trend in 2023. Subscribe to our free e-blasts below for informative, entertaining and stimulating analysis and critiques on what‘s happening in the worlds of marketing, advertising and pop culture. Scroll down to the bottom of the page if you’d like to start a conversation with us!

Taking a fresh look at blinds

Home Franchise Concepts (HFC) is one of the largest direct-to-consumer franchise companies in North America, comprised of eight brands including Budget Blinds. HFC was looking for a way that clients could better-visualize their window treatments in their own homes without having to carry around bulky blinds. 

Enter Augmented Reality marketing. And Yalo. 

An augmented approach 

Yalo was tasked with developing an augmented reality application for Budget Blinds’ franchisees to use during sales meetings. Clients would then be able to visualize exactly what each of the different blinds would look like inside their home. Seeing is believing when it comes to sales!

Yalo built the AR app, ProView by Budget Blinds, to visualize more than 50 different types of blinds in multiple colors and textures. ProView’s augmented reality marketing approach gives franchisees the opportunity to display Budget Blind’s products directly in the client’s home and workspaces. All visualizations can be scaled to match the window sizes down to 1/8^th of an inch for sizing specifications. Integrated directly with the Budget Blinds CRM system, the AR app allows client sessions to be saved, and to send visualized concepts directly to the clients as potent reminders of how great Budget Blinds’ blinds would look in their spaces.

Opening windows. And opportunities. Through Augmented Reality Marketing.

HFC was incredibly excited about the opportunities this app opened for them and has even moved forward with adopting it for another business unit. While testing continues on both apps, Yalo continues to move forward with this innovative approach to solving client issues. 

Interested in learning what we can do for your business via leading-edge augmented reality designs or our other App & Web Development services? We would love to have a conversation with you! Scroll down and contact us below. Meet the Yalo tribe here.

Gearing up for Grammy season and you know us here at Yalo, looooooove our music. It is part of our DNA. It is part of our methodology. Maybe you’ve heard of our Soul Song creative process that helps brands identify their soul and amp up their brand presence? If not, we should talk!

Now, back to the topic of bands reppin’ brands. This started decades ago. For me, my first memories of this being a ‘thing’ was back in the early 80’s when rap music first emerged. I believe the rap music genre created and capitalized on the opportunity. Do you remember LL Cool J and the Kangol?

Run DMC and Adidas shell toe shoes and track suits were synonymous. You couldn’t hear a Run DMC song and not think Adidas. 

However, for years before and after rap did it, it was considered ‘selling out’ by other bands and artists. They opposed it. Well, the rap pioneers didn’t care. I think they considered it part of the hustle. Just like selling their music mixtapes music out of their trunk and on street corners. By any means necessary. 

But then, the King of Pop did it. He represented Pepsi. Who could forget his hair catching on fire while filming a commercial? Despite the hair and fire thing, he made it ok, he made it cool to put your music with a brand. Since then, many bands and brands have gotten together. These days, just about anybody’s music will show up in a commercial, even the Beatles. There are tastemakers whose sole job at major brands is to seek out the newest, coolest, hippest artists to include in their commercials. What a great job, who wouldn’t want to do that! 

These tastemakers put together unlikely pairs like Motley Crue and Ally Financial using “Kick Start My Heart” in a commercial (see our blog on this). They put together trendy artists with brands that want to look cool and appeal to a younger generation. A few examples that come to mind are:

• Portugal the Man + Honda
• J Roddy Walston + Coors
• Little Hurricane + Taco Bell

They are even taking old songs and making them cool again. How about Walmart and Gary Numan’s “Cars”?

But it doesn’t stop there. Michael Jordan pioneered athletes getting into this game too by creating the Air Jordan brand by Nike. The marriage of Jordan and Nike has turned itself into a $1B business in and of itself. Recently, the most notable athlete example is Lebron James and Beats. Not only did Lebron start reppin’ the headphones, but he also became part owner. Now that’s how you double down on yourself! 

So, I ask you this. Who would you pick as your artist or band to represent your brand? Tell us by posting your choice #YaloBandnBrand. Here are some of our Yalo tribe favorites and selections. 

While you’re thinking about your brand, why not allow Yalo to give you some new ideas about your public persona? Brand strategy is one of our favorite things to do to help a company interface well with the general marketplace. Contact us at the bottom of this page and let’s get something started together.

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Rock on!

Digital Yalo started with a vision of helping small- to medium-sized companies connect with potential customers online via our marketing communication services and brand building expertise. Along the way, we realized we needed to improve file sharing and collaboration processes.

From the beginning, Digital Yalo founder and CEO Arnold Huffman and his team prided ourselves on taking a unique approach to client services, focusing on the effective and efficient delivery of products. Having experienced organic growth and a few small mergers and acquisitions, this became more important than ever. As the organization grew, that focus on efficiency was at odds with Digital Yalo’s cumbersome file storage and delivery system. A creative marketing and branding agency can go from working on video assets to Word documents in a single day.

“As we’ve grown, we’ve had to evolve our technology layer to enable that growth. That’s where Dropbox comes in,” Huffman says. 

Brandon Bradford, VP of Operations, led the push to create a process that would let everyone work independently while collaborating with external clients.

Through the mergers we’ve had over the previous years, Digital Yalo had several decentralized collaboration platforms: Dropbox, Box, and Microsoft. In our quest to simplify and unify collaboration, Digital Yalo turned to Positive Results, a third-party seller and technology partner, to help us choose the right solution.

Positive Results demoed multiple tools, including Google, Box and Dropbox. Before making the selection, it was critical to understand the workflows that were most important to our business operations. 

“We recommended Dropbox because of our deep partnership, the flexibility of the platform, and our ability to migrate a terabyte of data in under a week from Box to Dropbox without interruption to daily productivity,” says Positive Results CEO Dennis Kyle.

Ultimately, our success metric is team feedback. Dropbox has helped make everyone’s workflows simpler and seamless, enabling Digital Yalo staff to get to the soul of any brand faster than ever before. “Dropbox is one of the collaboration tools that allows us to be in sync with clients,” Huffman says. “It lets us be effective and efficient in processing either deliverables or changes to those deliverables so we get to the end point or stick the landing sooner.”

RESULT

Move quickly and get more done.

Moving from Box to Dropbox saved Digital Yalo about 57% in annual license fees. We also estimate a resource savings of 14% from time spent going back and forth between platforms and searching for updated document fragments.

Read more about our enhanced success in the case study below. Afterwards, why not give Yalo the opportunity to show you what our improved organizational finesse can do for your business? Our marketing and branding expertise is ready to serve your company’s needs – contact us and let’s have a conversation!

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How we have lived and worked through COVID has prepared us for the next internet release, Web 3.0. The accelerated acceptance of new behaviors catapulted eCommerce growth of 25.7% in 2021. With consumers accustomed to digital shopping and socializing, brand managers are seeking new opportunities to expand their omnichannel approach for products and services.

There are consumer brands that are building their Metaverse presence. Early adopters are establishing a presence which boosts the likelihood of the Metaverse having decentralized control and interoperability. These companies shaping their virtual presence are taking advantage of the beachheads established in the gaming and entertainment industries. Their success creates opportunities for branded experiences becoming virtual and immersive sponsorships.

Pioneers

Companies pioneering in the virtual world are using strategies taking advantage of new techniques afforded by the Metaverse. Strategies which extend brand loyalty through unique and creative virtual experiences.

Facebook – Rebranding for the Future: making the image breaking effort of a new vision to bring the Metaverse to life with rebranding and new a $150 million investment in a new developer platform.

Nike – Maintaining Top Retailer Relevancy: capitalized on a Metaverse opportunity with an immersive experience linking their clothing, entertainment, and gaming with a future of selling branded sneakers.

Coca-Cola – Leveraging Brand Power for Charity; launched an NFT auction that demonstrated the power of digital assets raising $575,000 in 72 hours with $500,000 going to charity.

Wendy’s – Changing the Rules of the Game: gaming in Fortnite competing in, Food Fight event Wendy built their winning strategy on their marketing slogan, “fresh, never frozen,” boosting brand mentions by 119%.

Samsung – Brand Dance Party: 837x Metaverse experience with exclusive NFT’s and live mixed reality dance party promoting brand and experiences their products can unlock.

Gucci – Selling Digital and Physical Bags: sponsoring a virtual event on Roblox giving advertising campaign insights, purchasing digital clothing and bags in a limited time window with crypto virtual bag prices exceeding the real world bags.

Louis Vuitton – Happy Birthday: gaming celebrating the founder’s birthday, sharing fashion house legacy, innovation and NFT art while retaining collectibles during the game attracting new customers and solidifying brand loyalty.

Burberry – Two Can Play the Game: gaming with a memorable experience while showing fashions and the human/nature relationship. 

Balenciaga – Clothes Make the Avatar: Fortnite collaboration with new digital apparel highlighted in the game with the debut limited time launch of a matching apparel line offered at premier Balenciaga stores and their B2C channel.

Zara – Virtual/Physical Product Line Launch; utilized NFT’s to simultaneously launch an identically priced line (Zepeto) in their physical stores and Metaverse virtual shops. 

Hyundai – Mobility Adventure: first automotive company to enter the Metaverse with a virtual experience focused on younger consumers with avatar customization,  focus on gaining awareness of existing and future mobility solutions. 

Wal-Mart – All In

The greater the traction that commercial brands get using Metaverse features and capabilities, the sooner it will attain credibility as the next big thing.

Wal-Mart has benefited from Web 2.0 more than any other brand, except Amazon. Their success has changed who they are and grown their brand offerings. With a January 2022 filing, Wal-Mart  made their commitment to the Metaverse. They made extensive trademark filings indicating what they were going to make/sell for virtual goods, offering virtual currency and selling NFT’s. This included a downloadable application offering financial services for digital currency and digital token value for member use on a global computer network.

“Continually exploring how emerging technologies may share future shopping experiences.”

-Wal-Mart

The specific wording of the filings indicates that this is much more than a “me-too.” There appears to be significant planning for approaches addressing the Metaverse, cryptocurrency, and the virtual world. With a global brand of this magnitude making this commitment, all brands must pause and consider how they can protect their digital investments.

Next?

A Metaverse presence gives marketers another channel to introduce both Gen-X and Millennials to their brands and products. Brand participation in staking their claim in virtual worlds, is proof positive that there is commitment to defining the virtual worlds and augmented reality. This is consistent with the omnichannel strategy for reaching the consumer. By collaborating with gaming, there are opportunities for in-game purchases of avatar outfits and accessories. The optimism is reinforced by what we hear from the pioneers:

“…the same iconic and optimistic experiences they are used to in real life in the digital world.”   – Oana Vlad, Sr. Director Coca-Cola Global Strategy

“The collaboration is indeed a step forward to how fashion and gaming can emerge to attract and maintain clients.”  – Josie Zhang, President Burberry China

“2021 1WorldSync research found that nearly 7 out of 10 shoppers say a brand’s online presence compels them to seek out products when shopping in-store.” – 1 WorldSync       

Fast followers may give away an unsurmountable advantage to the leaders. The leaders will have a significant following and fast followers must consider risk/reward determining what, how and when for the Metaverse entrée. Sustained presence in the Metaverse will require quality product and content when interacting with the consumer. Because 81% of consumers value product quality over brand image.

Are you ready to build your brand? Learn how the future of retail brands will exist in the Metaverse with our Blockchain 101 blog. Learn about our Brand Strategy Bootcamp as a present-day solution for weak brands that need boosted and emboldened. Ready to discuss details? Please scroll to the bottom of this page and use the Contact Us button to get a conversation started.

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Grand Bazaar

Ecommerce changed the brick & mortar store paradigm. Best case, the traditional storefront is a convenience or extended distribution center, worst case it has simply disappeared. Ecommerce is a significant disruption on how goods and services are exchanged, and how brands are created. Web 3.0, or the “internet of the future,” promises to be the next disruption of how we interact both personally and professionally in the Metaverse. Privacy, security, and ownership concerns are key design considerations in how Web 3.0 is conceived. No one will be comfortable interacting, transacting, and sharing data in virtual worlds unless these concerns are addressed. 

As interactions and user communities form across multiple virtual worlds, the Metaverse’s potential of becoming the virtual Grand Bazaar will rely on the ability to track transactions and ownership of digital assets. Blockchain technologies form the backbone of the metaverse and are the one of the three key elements (blockchain, NFT’s and cryptocurrency) that differentiate Web 3.0 from today’s web2 internet implementation. With blockchain, the Metaverse will make the Mall of America, over 520 stores, look like the corner general store of the 1890’s. 

What is the Blockchain?

Blockchain supports the operations of a user- and community-based ecosystem in a virtual world of digital assets and data. Blockchain permanently captures transactions in a decentralized public data base called a ledger. The blockchain is decentralized in that each transaction is sent to all computers accessing the blockchain. With the ledger distributed, it is protected from tampering and external control. 

Blockchain was originally part of the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, but has other uses including

• Banking – Faster payment with direct settlement and better tracking
• Education – Tamperproof credentials: transcripts, diplomas, certificates
• Real Estate – Property Registries: replacing paper with digital assets for ownership and tracking
• Supply Chain – Transparency from raw materials to customer’ doorstep 
• Space Technology – Space Traffic management of orbital assets and planned maneuvers
• Retail – Product Tracking guaranteeing product authenticity, reducing counterfeit exposure

Ethereum is a blockchain that is used as the backbone for virtual worlds: Cryptovoxesls, Decentraland and Somnium Space.

Basic Blockchain Operation

For transactions tracked with blockchain, the first step is to capture all the transaction information. Transactions are grouped into a block, like a page in an accounting ledger. Each block is time stamped. The time stamp confirms the right sequence for blocks entering the blockchain and that participants have the latest information. A hash (unique character string) which cryptographically calculated from the data in the block is developed for security purposes. The hash from one block goes into the next block and is part of the hash calculation for that block. This is how blockchain builds a trace into every block. Alarms are raised if there is an attempt to alter a previous block. If tampering is attempted there will be a mismatch of the hash of the altered block and the following block indicating an alteration in the chain. Since the blockchain is public, everyone has a copy, any tampering will be visible. When the hashes match, members of the chain know that their transaction has completed successfully and will be able to track its history. 

Decentralization

Decentralization is one the seven layers of the metaverse. Blockchain is one of the tools that are in this layer for planning and decision-making without central control. Although there will be technology giants (Microsoft, Meta, Apple) who will operate in the metaverse, there are other visionaries are developing their own virtual worlds. Maximizing the Metaverse’s potential these virtual worlds need to be interoperable. For virtual worlds’ interoperation will require blockchain to be track and prove ownership in multiple worlds. 

The Beginning

Metaverse and blockchain have a synergy that reinforces their development and acceptance. Together they will support the C change in how organizations and individuals work together. Tracking transaction history and ownership is important both in the virtual world and the use of cryptocurrency in both the metaverse and the real world. Security concerns will increase as the number of transactions within virtual worlds and across the Metaverse accelerate. There significant risks for fraud, phishing, and rug pulling especially if you are a novice. Managing these risks will be important for brands and original owners of digital assets to properly define the terms of ownership, use, governance and derivative works. Blockchain is metaverse’s backbone in controlling and managing what is bought and sold. The increased commerce will require blockchain to track the provenance of a digital asset, transactions and validate ownership. Everyone needs to be prepared to operate outside of their comfort zone of existing manual and automated processes. 

If you enjoy what you’ve just read, there’s more where that came from! Please sign-up for our email newsletter below, and below that, you can even contact us to keep this conversation going or to ask specific questions.

The State of the Game

The Gaming industry provides some important foundational concepts and traits that are emerging as “must have’s” in the Metaverse. — This includes assuming personas with custom avatars and virtual “wearables”, ecosystems that support cryptocurrency-based transactions using NFTs and custom utility tokens, and even hosting and facilitating live events, gallery showings, concerts, and mixed reality experiences. Virtual worlds, quite different from how we appreciate the “real” world. We are now seeing businesses accessing the projected full Metaverse capabilities with connections in virtual worlds. Connections supporting both personal and professional interactions and conducting commerce in real and virtual worlds. 

Variations in Metaverse implementations range from simple to complex. From digitizing an image of the real world to converging the physical and virtual worlds. PwC projects the Metaverse market opportunity to go from $45.5 billion in 2019 to $1.5 trillion in 2030. This market offers potential for the financial services industry:

• New market for value-added financial services.
• Enhanced delivery mechanisms for existing services.
• New payment infrastructure for transactions in virtual worlds.
• Defi for staking, decentralized exchanges (swaps), and liquidity pools.
• Play to earn features within games rewarding players with cryptocurrency/tokens.

Still to be determined is whether financial services can take advantage of virtual opportunities engaging customers beyond a brick and mortar and/or smartphone experience.

Pioneers

Financial services pioneers have been using AR/VR to gain a foothold and understanding of the value proposition afforded by the Metaverse.

• eBankIT – 2015 implementation of augmented reality to bring printed materials to life on mobile applications.
• Proptech Firms – 2017 applying virtual reality for virtual tours of existing and planned properties.
• Bank of America – 2021 launch of VR training for 4300 branch personnel in client relationships, difficult conversation navigation and empathetic listening complemented with artificial intelligence coaching.

Early Adopters

Visionaries and Fintech companies have pursued Metaverse opportunities:

• EToro – launches an investment platform educating investors and an investment service for leading virtual worlds, cryptocurrency, blockchain and Metaverse enabling technologies.
• Kookmin Bank – created a “virtual town” with spaces for branches, public relations, recruitment, and social/relaxation. 
• Lynx – building an inclusive digital economy enabling existing financial services (money transfers) and an on-ramp to gain confidence in advanced Metaverse capabilities (play to earn).

When polled in the Fall of 2021, financial institution leaders see 1 out of 5 using AR/VR for completing daily transactions, going beyond gaming.

What’s Next

The future holds a two-fold challenge. First, how to use Metaverse capabilities to enhance the customer experience for existing financial services and find the right level of convergence between the “real” world and virtual worlds. Second, based on Metaverse’s evolution, financial services providers are positioning for supporting novel payment systems and other ancillary services totally within the Metaverse.

Extending What We Know:

• Interactive teller machines extended VR support
• 7 x 24 customer service regardless of customer location
• Virtual branches delivering personalized customer service

Virtual Services in Virtual Worlds

• Metaverse mortgages for purchasing virtual real estate
• Digital shopping hubs support for all virtual transaction types
• Visual assessment of financial scenarios and risks in environment specific to customer’s risk profile
• Explore global assets without leaving a virtual space
• Decentralized Finance
• Play to Earn (tokens/rewards)

Success

Traditional banking business models’ disruption is occurring due to blockchain, cryptocurrency, and crypto assets decentralized finance protocols. Add to this Goldman Sachs projecting digital economy transitioning to the Metaverse with growth estimated at $8.0 trillion. We could ponder how soon this is going to happen and consider that it took 20 years and a pandemic for eCommerce to become 20% of retail sales.  Regardless of which forecast one uses, the numbers are of sufficient magnitude that even if they are 50% correct, the Metaverse warrants thoughtful consideration in any financial services business strategy.

Achieving these forecasted market projections, will rely on Metaverse delivering its promise on:

• Enabling virtual personal and professional interaction
• Virtual training for customers and financial services professionals
• Enhancing existing services with the application of Metaverse capabilities
• Creation of novel payment systems and banking services existing within the virtual worlds

The end game being balancing the roles of existing services, Metaverse enhanced services, and Metaverse specific services for virtual worlds. Early Metaverse acceptance can be fueled by using virtual world capabilities to enhance existing services with thoughtful extension into the Metaverse. As with any new, new thing, success will depend on the impact on business outcomes. 

Are you game? Yalo has over 20 years of experience with financial services marketing, and top-notch interactive & IT development and virtual reality skills as well. Allow us to help your financial institution stay up-to-date with user experiences and the joys of banking in the Digital Age. Start a conversation with us below!

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The Internet of things, or IoT, is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers (UIDs) and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.

Frequently, we envision complex use cases for IoT. Vision-controlled robots on automated factory lines. Edge computing adding adaptive control at the device level utilizing artificial intelligence. Our focus on this vision, the infiltration of IoT into our daily lives has gone unnoticed. We have naturally embraced time saving and efficiency improving solutions such as: connected home hubs, smart thermostats, remote door opens and remote auto starters and many other mobile app-controlled devices. All are IoT solutions, they are devices connected to a communications network (Internet) that support remote operations and data collection. IoT’s successful integration into our daily lives has occurred because we value knowledge, convenience, and cost savings.

IoT Applications

IoT is providing benefits in the following:

• Home
• Fitness
• Healthcare
• Retail
• Manufacturing
• Home
• Utilities

The Future

Future applications will continue to proliferate. As we expand the capability to sense an input or environment, digitize it and connect to a computing source, there will be a growth in monitoring applications. Control of the process will be possible if we have intelligence processing the input and actuators to execute commands at the source.

Let us know if you are ready to connect to the future. With data analytics and Web & app development among our cadre of capabilities, Yalo can help you tap into the IoT for fascinating possibilities. Start a conversation by contacting us below.

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